City have reached an intriguing and potentially treacherous point in their modern evolution.

It’s one that Chelsea – four years further down the line of mega-rich ownership – have handled with all the grace of a lottery winner driving a gold-plated Ferrari.

The decision to allow Frank Lampard to leave two summers ago was a PR disaster.

Instead of the club’s record goal-scorer and winner of every major trophy imaginable being allowed to end his distinguished Premier League career at the club where he’d achieved his success, Chelsea watched on as he rolled back the years with a farewell tour at the Etihad.

His final season in English football was in the blue of City, rather than Chelsea.

To a lesser extent Ashley Cole’s departure to Roma felt a touch shoddy – while the uncertainty over John Terry’s future, played out in public, was no way to treat the ‘Captain, Legend, Leader’ and all-too typical of Chelsea’s mishandling of their modern-day icons.

Not that this should come as any surprise from a club who sacked their greatest-ever manager not once, but twice.

Lampard celebrates scoring for City

The question now is whether City will echo the mistakes of the West Londoners or show a touch more class.

Do they want to be the type of club turf out a legend just because he’s past his peak?

Likewise, do supporters want to be the type to turn on a man so pivotal to their success over the past six years?

Toure’s status as both a City and Premier League great is secure, no matter what happens from here on in or how often he is made the scapegoat for the team’s failings on social media.

And that is acknowledged in Abu Dhabi – even if the limbs are not as agile as they once were.

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He has made it clear he wants to work with Guardiola, but he is also thinking about life beyond City having let it be known he wants to stay in the Premier League if he leaves.

That would be unthinkable for City – sending them straight into Chelsea and Lampard territory.

The sight of a re-energised Toure dominating games in another shirt would turn an unwanted spotlight on City – on Guardiola.

The feeling within the club is that there is no great desire to show him the door.

Yet following the arrival of Ilkay Gundogan, Guardiola has a congested midfield to choose from next season.

Toure – so accustomed to being guaranteed starter – faces the prospect of competing with David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne, Nolito, Samir Nasri, Raheem Sterling and potentially Leroy Sane in the most advanced central midfield role.

There remains the expectation that one will move on this summer, with Toure and Nasri looking most vulnerable.

Guardiola gives Toure instructions in Munich

The answer could be to manage the 33-year-old’s his game-time, taking his age into consideration and the amount of football he’s played for club and country since his arrival six years ago.

How he would respond to that remains to be seen. For all the criticism he receives for his lethargic style his determination to play week in-week out is remarkable.

With a year remaining on his contract, he has surely earned the right to determine how his time at City comes to an end.

Toure is the first bon-a-fide legend of the Mansour era to reach this point.

City will face similar dilemmas over Vincent Kompany and Silva in the coming years.